A team at the University of Quebec in Canada found that stressful jobs with low rewards double men’s risk of heart problems. By “low rewards,” the researchers mean not just low pay but also a lack of recognition and a persistent fear of losing one’s job. The study did not find the same link in women.
Past studies examined these two factors separately. This study focused on their combined effect, especially the imbalance between the effort people put into stressful work and the rewards they receive.
The study followed employees of various ranks—from top managers to white-collar workers and technical staff—for 18.7 years. In total it included 3,118 men and 3,347 women.
It turned out that men who put in a lot of effort for minimal rewards were twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease. The increased risk to heart health was comparable to the risk associated with obesity.
What Scientists Discovered
Based on regular questionnaires, the men were divided into several groups, as reported by New Atlas. Volunteers in the first group reported either work-related stress or low rewards for their efforts. Among them, the risk of developing cardiovascular disease was 49 percent higher than in men who did not report those conditions.
Another group—men who reported both high work stress and low rewards—had double the risk of heart disease (a 103 percent increase).
The same testing was done for women, but those factors were not linked to heart disease in women.
Lead author Dr. Mathilde Lavin-Robichaux says employees often face a combination of high demands and inadequate recognition. High demands include heavy workloads, tight deadlines, and many responsibilities. When an employee puts in maximum effort but feels they are not receiving appropriate rewards, an “effort-reward imbalance” arises.
She says studying the link between a lack of rewards for hard work and cardiovascular disease is important for public health and employee well-being. The research team hopes to develop recommendations for employers to reduce stressful working conditions and improve workplace health.
The team noted a limitation: the study included only Canadian employees. They said the findings would likely be similar in the U.S. and other high-income countries with comparable employment structures.
The study’s conclusions were published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
